Monarch
Danaus plexippus
The migratory generation, known as the 'super generation,' lives up to eight times longer than its parents to complete the epic journey south.
- Scientific name
- Danaus plexippus
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Lepidoptera › Nymphalidae › Danaus
- IUCN Red List status
- Endangered
- Population trend
- decreasing
- Biome
- grassland
- Habitat
- Meadows, grasslands, prairies, agricultural fields, urban gardens, and coniferous overwintering forests.
- Diet
- Caterpillars feed exclusively on milkweed (Asclepias); adults consume nectar from a wide variety of wildflowers.
- Range
- North America, Central America, South America, Caribbean, Australia, Pacific Islands, Western Europe
- Size
- Wingspan of 8.9 to 10.2 cm (3.5 to 4 inches); weight of about 0.5 grams.
- Lifespan
- 2 to 5 weeks for breeding generations; 6 to 8 months for the overwintering migratory generation.
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Habitat fragmentation, widespread herbicide use destroying milkweed, climate change, and deforestation in Mexican overwintering sites.
- Safe to approach?
- Completely harmless to observe. Avoid handling to prevent damaging their delicate wing scales. Do not ingest, as they accumulate toxins from milkweed that make them poisonous to predators. Maintain a respectful distance of a few feet to allow them to feed undisturbed.
The monarch butterfly or simply monarch ( Danaus plexippus ) is a milkweed butterfly (subfamily Danainae) in the family Nymphalidae. Other common names depending on region include milkweed , common tiger , wanderer , and black veined brown . It may be the most familiar North American butterfly, and is considered an iconic pollinator species. Its wings feature an easily recognizable black, orange, and white pattern, with a wingspan of 8.9–10.2 cm (3 1⁄2–4 in) The viceroy butterfly is similar in color and...
Photo: Christine Young, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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